


Spoil Me Rotten, Spoil Me Sweet

by DatHeetJoella



Category: Free!
Genre: Domestic Fluff, Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M, Makoharutokyo, Romance, references to sexual content
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-26
Updated: 2018-02-26
Packaged: 2019-03-24 03:09:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,673
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13802118
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DatHeetJoella/pseuds/DatHeetJoella
Summary: A long day of intense swimming practice left Haruka drained and aching, and he was so relieved to finally come home to his love, already looking forward to relaxing all weekend with him. And he was in luck because Makoto happened to know all the best ways to unwind and was more than willing to lend him a hand.





	Spoil Me Rotten, Spoil Me Sweet

**Author's Note:**

> Hi everyone! It might be a little late to say this, but since this is the first thing I'm posting this year, I'd still like to wish you all a happy and healthy new year! I originally intended to post this on Valentine's Day as a fluffy treat, but alas I was not able to finish it in time; this fic was actually just written because I needed it in my life and I couldn't resist writing a quick little thing for it. Except it wasn't quick or little because I wouldn't be me if my fics didn't exceed the 10k mark time and time again, but it's safe to say that this got pretty out of hand when comparing it to the 2.5k~ I had in mind for it.
> 
> Nevertheless, I obviously enjoyed writing this because otherwise I wouldn't have allowed it to distract me, but I hope that you'll like it as well. This fic is completely self-indulgent and has little to no plot, so if you like that kind of stuff then I hope you'll enjoy this too. I must say that the summary makes this fic sound really sexual (which is not necessarily my intention but summaries are difficult), so I just wanted to mention beforehand that there is no actual sexual content in this fic, simply some small nods to it. I hope this doesn't take away from the enjoyment of the fic, but that kind of stuff is for another day, haha.
> 
> Anyway I always end up rambling because I'm afraid I'm forgetting to mention something, but I wouldn't know what else to say. So I hope you enjoy!

With weariness weighing down his muscles and frigidness from the cool winter wind seeped into his bones, Haruka put his key into the keyhole and unlocked the door to their apartment. Finally, after a long day of university and practice, he was home.

When he went inside, he was instantly met with the warm air that hung in the room and he made sure to close the door right behind him again, not wanting the cold from the outside to come in. His posture relaxed as he breathed out a deep sigh in what he supposed was relief and his bag naturally sagged off his shoulder and hit the floor. He didn't waste a second before he kicked his shoes off, not even having enough strength and energy left to carefully untie the laces.

Upon hearing the door slam shut, Makoto looked up from where he had been engrossed in a book and some notes and a smile naturally lit up his handsome face when he saw Haruka standing in the genkan. Seeing that ethereal smile inevitably made the corners of Haruka's mouth curl up as well, just like it always did. No matter how exhausted he was, his mind and body always had a positive reaction to being reunited with his other half. Now he could finally unwind and recharge.

"Haru, welcome home," Makoto greeted with badly-suppressed enthusiasm, his smile softening in the way that made his eyes crinkle at the corners behind the black frames of his glasses. He pushed himself up from where he had been seated on the floor and walked up to Haruka, his arms wide open in invitation. An invitation that Haruka would never pass up on.

He stepped out of the genkan and let himself fall into Makoto's arms, encircling his waist as he did and he leaned his weight on him, knowing that Makoto would support him. Of course, Makoto never put his trust to shame and his arms immediately wrapped around him as he pressed his smaller frame against himself and Haruka buried his face into Makoto's neck. He took another deep breath and closed his eyes as Makoto's comforting scent entered his nostrils, making him feel calm and at ease. Within the hold of his sanctuary and love, Haruka felt safe and he sighed, "I'm home."

Although he didn't see the fond look Makoto's eyes held for him, he could feel it being conveyed through their embrace. "Long day, huh?" Makoto murmured softly so he wouldn't disturb the tranquility that enveloped them.

"Hm," Haruka hummed in confirmation and he hid his face even further in Makoto, pressing against his warm skin, "Tired."

No explanation or elaboration was added, but Makoto didn't need words to understand him. "Your coaches really pushed you today," he said as if he knew it for a fact, like he had been there to witness it himself. Even though he obviously hadn't actually been there, he was able to gather it all from the way Haruka was holding him; there was not a day Haruka wasn't tired in the evening, thanks to the tough regimen he was following in order to sharpen his technique and perfect his form. But there were certain days when it all became too much, when the pressure and expectations got to him and in combination with his coaches commanding him to give even more, to try even harder, it resulted in Haruka arriving home like this, drained and exhausted. On days like these, Makoto made sure to spoil him even more than he usually did so he could rest and gather his strength again for when he needed it to continue pursuing his dream. And today was no exception.

Haruka only nodded before he tilted back his head so he could meet Makoto's beautiful eyes. Regardless of how tired he was, when he got home Haruka needed his welcome home kiss and he hadn't gotten it yet so that definitely had to change. With what felt like the last remaining power in his muscles, Haruka leaned up so he could capture his lips with his own but it seemed like Makoto had something else in mind. Instead of kissing his mouth, Makoto pressed his lips against Haruka's nose. "Your nose is cold," he remarked as he started to nuzzle it with his own, trying to warm it up a little. "Are you cold?"

Despite it not being the touch he was craving, warmth and fondness still blossomed in Haruka's chest at the sweet kiss and the loving nuzzles and he couldn't do anything but smile and nuzzle back. These endearing gestures of affection were not rare at all and therefore he should have been used to them, but Makoto's love always seemed to catch him off-guard time and time again because of how pure and genuine it was. Haruka was convinced that there was no one in the whole world who had a bigger heart than Makoto, and he knew he was so lucky and so blessed that Makoto had chosen to give his heart to him. He would treasure and safekeep it forevermore, because he knew that Makoto was taking even greater care of the heart he had received in return. "Not anymore."

That response made Makoto smile before he tightened his hold around him. As always he knew just what Haruka wanted and he leaned down to capture Haruka's lips in a proper kiss to welcome him home and Haruka shifted his weight onto his toes to meet Makoto halfway. Even though Haruka had been the one to initiate it at first and he delivered something different from what Haruka was originally going for, Makoto would have been lying if he said that he wasn't craving the touch of Haruka's thinner lips sliding over his own as well. It didn't matter who arrived at the apartment before the other because a welcome home kiss was a given every time they finally saw each other again after spending the day apart. The redness of Haruka's cute nose had just caught Makoto's attention and he simply hadn't been able to resist the temptation of kissing it. When he had felt how cold it was, protectiveness and devotion took charge and controlled his actions as he attempted to nuzzle the icy feeling away - besides, he would never object to getting to nuzzle that adorable little nose of his, and any excuse to do it was as good as the next. Now that he had completed the task he had set for himself, there was no reason to further postpone the kiss he had been waiting for all day long.

A small noise of contentment slipped out of Haruka when their lips finally met, his fingers itching to tangle through Makoto's messy locks or to caress his wide back, but alas his muscles were far too sore to move from where his arms were wrapped around Makoto's waist. So instead he suppressed those desires and saved them up for later to focus solely on the tender way Makoto was kissing him, feeling his love burning in every fiber of his being. There was an ever-present need in Haruka to return every droplet of affection that Makoto showered him in and it was no different now, but he knew he didn't have to utilise the energy he didn't have because Makoto surely knew just how much Haruka loved him. He might have been awkward at it at first, but he had gradually learned how to express his adoration and the worries of if he was even adequate enough to be on the receiving end of Makoto's endless supply of love were long since left behind in the past. He loved Makoto more than anyone or anything else in the entire universe and he knew that sentiment was not only understood, but also wholeheartedly requited.

Makoto ran his hands down Haruka's back before he slipped his fingers underneath the layers of thick fabric, surpassing the coat, jersey, and shirt he was wearing all in one go in favour of stroking the bare skin underneath it. His touch was incredibly comforting and reassuring, light and gentle with no other motive than to whisk his stress away and make him feel nice. And it definitely worked; goosebumps naturally erupted on his skin in the wake of Makoto's smooth fingertips and he sighed against Makoto's lips, feeling like he was melting right into his arms. This only made the desire to touch him back well up even higher inside Haruka, and judging by the way he smiled against his lips, Makoto knew.

Because he still didn't have the strength in his muscles needed to properly caress him, Haruka decided to take a different course of action. Since their kiss had already evolved from a short peck to a passionate and sensual exchange, Haruka deepened it. There was no ulterior motive on his part either, he just wanted to feel and taste Makoto and he was sure Makoto understood that as he effortlessly matched his pace and kissed him back. It wasn't like he had any objections to a kiss like this one turning even more fiery and leading to even more pleasure as time went on, but that was not what he was seeking in it right now; the more intense forms of expressing their love for each other would have to wait a little while, at least until he was well-rested and the ache in his tired and worn-out body had been soothed. For now, he just wanted to hold Makoto close and indulge himself with all the love and affection that was being poured over him, because there was no better way to unwind. And fortunately it was finally Friday so he had the entire weekend to relax and recharge, and maybe to enjoy himself together with Makoto in different ways as well.

At last Haruka pulled back, ending their kiss not because he wanted to, but because he couldn't hold himself up on his toes any longer. There was still a longing for more, so he pressed a quick, chaste peck against Makoto's lips before he practically collapsed in his arms again, his head resting against Makoto's chest.

The kiss had left a sweet taste in Haruka's mouth that lingered on his tongue and made him feel satisfied and content. Their kisses were always sweet because Haruka just so happened to have fallen in love with the biggest sweetheart on the entire planet, but this kiss in particular tasted like warmth and hints of diluted sugar. Makoto had probably been drinking tea just before he came in, judging by the earthy undertone he detected; because they were college students on a budget, they only ever bought one flavour of tea and had therefore compromised on one that they both liked. It wasn't as sweet as Makoto would have preferred though, so he usually added sugar to enhance the flavour to match his ideal. There were times when Haruka considered telling him that he should tone down his sugar intake, but Makoto'd had a sweet tooth since he was a child and that hadn't changed at all as he had grown up. So Haruka just let him do as he pleased because he made sure to regularly cook healthy meals to balance out his somewhat unhealthy levels of sugar-consumption. But it wasn't that strange that Makoto had a mild sugar-addiction because he was constantly drowning him in affection with the most tender and doting little gestures and he had to restock his infinite supply of sweetness somehow.

It was quite obvious that Haruka was drained and exhausted since these stupid, sickeningly sappy thoughts only coursed through his head when he was tired. And he didn't even have the strength left to fight against them.

Like he had read his mind Makoto chuckled softly, his chest vibrating beneath Haruka's cheek as he did and it only made Haruka feel warmer and more in love. As if to prove Haruka's theory right, he placed a loving kiss against the crown of his head before he continued to trace random patterns on his lower back.

"You're not cold anymore," Makoto stated as he gently ran his blunt nails over Haruka's sensitive skin, feeling his muscles shift underneath it as Haruka leaned into his touch, "But you are sore, right?"

Seeing no point in denying it, especially since Makoto already knew the truth anyway, Haruka hummed in confirmation.

An empathetic smile stretched Makoto's lips, his fingers never stilling against his back as he offered, "Want me to give you a massage?"

That made Haruka pause and he withdrew his face from where it had been snuggled up into Makoto's body so he could look into his evergreen eyes. It was an incredibly inviting offer, to say the least, and if he was only taking himself into consideration then he would have agreed to it without a second of doubt and in a heartbeat. The mere thought of Makoto's strong hands softly kneading the knots out of his flesh and releasing the tension in his body was enough to make his eyes roll backwards in his head from pleasure. But Makoto had been studying when he came in, so he probably had more important things to do. And besides that, he had been busy all week too and deserved to relax just as much as Haruka did.

"Don't you have anything else to do?" It came out a bit cruder than Haruka had intended, but fortunately he never had to worry about trivial things like the interpretation of his tone because Makoto always seamlessly understood what he meant and how he had meant it.

"Nothing that is more important than you," Makoto replied without missing a beat, smiling down at him in the assurance that every word he had spoken was true.

The committed words that had flown from Makoto's lips with ease had startled Haruka a little. It was a prime example of Makoto's affection catching him off-guard sometimes and his heart stung with the sentiment he had expressed. And once again it was a sentiment that Haruka wholeheartedly returned. As he was staring into Makoto's gorgeous eyes, he knew that there would never be anything that was more important to him than the beautiful man that was holding him and his skin tingled with warmth and love at every part their bodies were connected by touch.

No matter how much he enjoyed to revel in Makoto and the love that they shared, there was no time for him to get lost in the endless spiral of affection because he still wasn't fully convinced yet. "But seriously, do you have time?" he asked, his voice light with a sliver of hope that he had been unable to repress. There wasn't much more convincing needed for him to accept, but he would feel guilty if Makoto had to stress because he didn't finish an assignment in time or if he couldn't study for a test because he was giving him a massage.

Again, Makoto only smiled at him before he responded without even a moment of hesitation, "I always have time for you, Haru-chan."

The softness of his voice in combination with the use of that childhood nickname that he never stopped calling him made Haruka spontaneously combust on the spot and he hid his face into Makoto's shoulder. It wasn't so much that he was embarrassed, it was more like he was overwhelmed with the amount of love that could caress his skin and seep into his pores by just a few simple words conveying Makoto's feelings. How was he even supposed to react to Makoto saying things like this? Haruka truly didn't know, so he just settled with something he  _was_  very familiar with. "Stop with the '-chan'."

Makoto chuckled lightly at that typical reply. "Sorry, sorry," he mumbled before pressing a kiss against his forehead in apology, but Haruka knew that he wasn't going to stop anyway and honestly, he couldn't really say that he minded it. And the way Makoto was smiling down at him only affirmed that Haruka could never mind it either. "So is that a yes?"

In order to repress a smile, Haruka sighed in feigned annoyance. "Fine," he gave in, almost like he was doing Makoto a favour by allowing him to give him a massage instead of the other way around. The attempt at sounding nonchalant only made Makoto laugh once more and the beautiful sound was like a massage to his eardrums. "But first," Haruka continued, tossing aside the façade he had put on so Makoto wouldn't have had to feel obligated to do it, "Can I have a sip of your tea?"

"Of course, you don't have to ask," Makoto said, withdrawing his hands from where they had been caressing Haruka's spine and tugging Haruka's clothes back down so he wouldn't get cold. "I don't think it's very warm anymore though, and I put sugar in it. Do you want me to brew you a new cup?"

While he was speaking, Makoto took ahold of the back of Haruka's coat so he could help him take it off and put it away for him. At the start of their relationship and before then, Haruka surely would have told him off and dismissed his assistance, his cheeks lighting up because it was a little embarrassing to be fussed over by Makoto, especially if they happened to be in public. But as he had grown older, he had learned to appreciate Makoto's meddling and see it for what it truly was: the protective and nurturing side that welled up in him so naturally, that was one of Makoto's many ways to show how much he cared. Rather than seeing it as something troublesome, Haruka regarded it as something very positive now; even if he admittedly could still go a little overboard with his meddling, it was all done with the purest of intentions. Next to that, it was a part of him and there was absolutely nothing that Haruka could dislike about someone as all-around amazing and wonderful as Makoto.

Therefore, he allowed Makoto to take his coat, the corners of his lips curling upwards ever so slightly in gratitude before he answered Makoto's question. "No, it's fine." With that, Haruka dragged himself over to the table where Makoto had been sitting before he came in. He grabbed the mug that was on the coaster, smiling a little to himself when he saw it; it was one of the cartoon cat mugs from the set Nagisa and Rei had given Makoto as a house-warming gift back when they first visited them here in Tokyo. He knew that Makoto really treasured them, not only because they were a gift given to him by precious friends, but also because they reminded him of Iwatobi and the joyful times they spent together as the swim club - and honestly because he thought they were adorable too. They were Makoto's favourites, always the first ones he used after they had done the dishes, and Haruka was sure that Nagisa would be overjoyed to hear that; considering that the house-warming present he had received from Nagisa and Rei was a book about swimming techniques, it was obvious who had picked which gift.

An uncomfortable itch in his throat made the thoughts of their younger friends disappear and he brought the mug to his mouth and took a big gulp. Like Makoto had predicted, it was lukewarm and far too sweet for Haruka's liking. It wasn't unbearably sweet though and it did its job of quenching his thirst just fine, perhaps a little  _too_  well; when Haruka lowered the mug, he saw that there wasn't much left for Makoto since he drank almost all of it. Now Makoto didn't have to make a cup for him, but another cup for himself. So much for just a sip.

Makoto's beautiful voice pulled him from his thoughts. "You can finish it if you want."

"You sure?" Haruka asked, his eyebrows furrowing in question. He was well aware of the fact that Makoto knew him better than anyone else in the entire world and could often guess what he was thinking, and besides it making Haruka feel incredibly connected with him, in situations like these it proved to come in handy too; he didn't have to go through the trouble of voicing his thoughts to Makoto because Makoto already understood. Still, he didn't want Makoto to give up his tea just because he accidentally drank almost all of it, so he just wanted to confirm that it really wasn't a problem.

"Yeah," he immediately replied with that gentle smile of his, "I'm not thirsty anymore, and it seems like you need the sugar-boost way more than I do."

"Alright, thanks," Haruka mumbled before he downed the rest of the mug's contents. His jaw clenched when the last sip brought a bunch of undissolved sugar into his mouth; the sweetness wasn't too bad when it was mixed in with the earthy flavour of the tea, but it was definitely too much for him when it was like a gulp of pure sugar. Makoto really needed to stir the tea better before drinking, but he couldn't even complain about it since it hadn't been made for him in the first place. It still made his nose scrunch up in disgust and he swallowed a couple of times to try to rid his tongue of the layer of sweetness, but it was in vain.

For once, it seemed like Makoto hadn't noticed Haruka's discomfort because his mind was elsewhere. "I'm going to grab everything so come when you're ready and then we can get started," he said, his smile never wavering and then he disappeared into their bedroom with Haruka's coat still in hand.

Haruka didn't reply and just went to put the empty mug on the counter before he walked over to the bathroom. If there was one thing Haruka hated, it was public restrooms and he refused to use them no matter what the circumstances were. He always went right before he left so he could get through the day without any problems, but after long days especially he had to go pretty badly as soon as he came home. As with everything else, Makoto knew this and that was why he had phrased his sentence the way he had.

Once his full bladder had been emptied and his hands had been washed, Haruka joined Makoto in their bedroom. Since the fatigue was still burning fiercely in his muscles, he hadn't had the energy or patience to properly towel off his hands, because of which the skin between his fingers remained to be wet. He grimaced as he tried to wipe the lingering droplets off on his pants; despite his fondness of water, he didn't appreciate it when his hands were damp when they shouldn't be, especially since his skin was already sensitive enough as it was from being soaked in chlorinated water for numerous hours every day. Not that he liked it when his clothes had damp spots instead, but he didn't care about that as much at the moment because he knew he was going to change into something more casual and comfortable soon anyway.

In their room he saw Makoto sitting on the bed right next to a small stack of clothing; he hadn't been lying when he said he was going to grab  _everything_  and adoration surged through Haruka's heart at his considerateness. Trust his soulmate to know exactly what he needed.

When he heard the squeaking of the floorboards underneath Haruka's feet that notified him of his presence, Makoto looked up from the bottle in his hands and that tender expression lit up his face again like it always did when he was looking at Haruka. He put the bottle down in his lap and lifted the stack of clothing before handing Haruka a pair of pyjama pants.

"Here," he said and Haruka accepted it from him with a small nod of gratitude. Instead of giving him the shirt he had gotten as well, Makoto put that back on the bed next to him because he knew Haruka wouldn't need it until later. While Haruka was pulling off his clothes, Makoto resumed speaking. "When I was looking for the massage oil, I found this bottle that I got a while ago. I think I told you about it, it's supposed to help soothe the ache of muscles and joints so I thought it might be good to use this one now. Is that alright?"

"Sure," Haruka replied, because he honestly didn't really care what type of massage oil they used as long as it didn't smell bad. Admittedly, Haruka wasn't a huge fan of many scents, especially if they were strong - save for the smell of fish, then - and Makoto knew this, so while he was usually the one to buy stuff like scented candles or massage oil, he always made sure to keep Haruka's preferences in mind and chose more neutral and subtle scents rather than heavily perfumed ones.

This train of thought apparently showed on his face as Makoto only smiled before he disclosed, "The bottle says it's made with jasmine extract and I think it smells really nice." He opened the cap and put a tiny dollop onto his fingertip before he held out his arm to Haruka to let him smell it. "If you don't like it then I'll just use the other one we have."

Haruka halted in putting on the pyjama pants and leaned downward so he could catch a whiff of the fragrance. A soft floral scent entered his nose, smelling fresh but still subtle and he rather liked it as well. "It's alright," he muttered, "it's not too strong."

"I already thought you'd like it," Makoto stated with his unwavering smile, his eyes full of devotion and the corners of Haruka's mouth curled up slightly at how kind and gentle he was.

With the last remaining strength in his muscles Haruka bared his upper body before he plopped down onto a towel that Makoto had laid out on the bed. His head immediately found his pillow, that Makoto had put it down in the middle of the bed so he'd have more room, and he faced downwards so Makoto could easily access his neck as well. He didn't have any words to describe how good it felt to finally lie down and he could have lost consciousness immediately if it weren't for the knowledge that an amazing massage awaited him, and he didn't want to miss out on a second of it.

The mattress dipped beside his hips when Makoto crawled on top of him, hovering slightly above his smaller body as he wondered, "Are you ready?"

Haruka only hummed again because when his weight was finally off his feet, it felt like a plug had been pulled and all of his energy seeped out of him at once. He breathed out a deep sigh as he tried to release some of the tension in his body, yet simultaneously bracing himself for the touch that would soon come.

"Sorry if it's cold," Makoto apologised in advance as he squeezed some more lotion onto his fingers and then he ran them over Haruka's back to spread it a little. Just like he had said, it was cold but Haruka soon forgot about that as Makoto's warm hands stroked over his skin and he involuntarily let out another sigh.

Makoto started his massage on Haruka's neck, his thumbs rubbing soft circles onto the muscles on either half, just like he always did so Haruka could soon turn his head to the side so he could breathe more easily. It wasn't until that point that Haruka realised truly how tense he had been and what an enormous headache it had given him, and he was so grateful that he had someone as amazing and skilled here who was more than willing to give him a massage when he wanted or needed it.

Massages definitely weren't an uncommon occurrence in their household, in sexual context but mainly outside of that and the majority of the time, Haruka was on the receiving end of them. Due to his upcoming career as an athlete and the tough regimen that came along with it, he often came home being sore in certain places. There was the ever-present risk of overworking himself and damaging his body in the process, therefore Haruka took good care of his body and made sure not to overdo it. But Makoto's concern for him exceeded his own and he could argue that Makoto took even greater care of his body than he did himself. No matter how busy he was Makoto always made time for him, to take care of him and give him massages, whether it be his back, arms, legs, feet, anything really. He was pretty sure he could ask Makoto to give him a face massage and he'd do it without a second of hesitation. Not that Haruka was complaining, quite the opposite; he loved to revel in the attention Makoto drowned him in because he was certain there was no one on the entire world who gave better massages than Makoto. His hands were large, so strong and powerful yet still really gentle, absolutely perfect for giving massages in Haruka's humble opinion. Next to that, he knew Haruka's body like the back of his hand so he knew exactly where he tended to get sore and where to put more pressure, because of which Haruka never had to give him directions and he could simply sit - or lie - back and enjoy.

Makoto's massages were like pure heaven and honestly, he should just become a professional masseur instead of a swim teacher. Then again, Haruka was a selfish man and the idea that he would be the only one who ever got to experience the divine sensation of Makoto's hands running over his body was incredibly pleasing to him. Makoto's touch was a privilege, a privilege that only he was lucky enough to have. A privilege that he would gladly indulge himself in whenever the opportunity presented itself.

Of course, touching Makoto was a privilege too and Haruka made sure to return the favour whenever he could. It just so happened that Makoto mostly got sore during specific times of the year; he generally had a great posture, a very straight spine with relaxed shoulders, but when midterms or finals were approaching he had the tendency of sitting hunched over his textbooks because he apparently thought he could absorb more information that way, causing for his neck and shoulders to become very tense and painful. It only resulted into him getting a major headache which only made it more difficult for him to study and he got caught up in a never-ending loop. It was almost amusing how much more worried he was for Haruka than he was for himself. Almost.

So Haruka knew that he should take matters into his own hands and therefore he worried for Makoto in his stead and massages were certainly a part of that. Unfortunately Haruka was fully aware of the fact that he wasn't as good of a masseur as Makoto was; his hands were smaller and he simply lacked the strength that Makoto had, which forced him to put more conscious effort into his massages - not that that was a problem because Haruka loved giving Makoto back rubs and spoiling him too, but he knew he simply couldn't match up to Makoto's abilities when it came to this. If he were to tell Makoto this then he was sure he would fiercely deny it and claim that his massages were just as good, if not even greater than his own, but they both knew that wasn't true. Still, that didn't stop him from trying over and over, because even if he wasn't a born masseur like Makoto was, his massages weren't bad at all and in the end, could still do their job of relieving some of the tension in his lover's body.

It didn't really matter if one of them was better at something than the other, because their abilities balanced each other out and their relationship revolved around giving and taking equally - even though Makoto still had the tendency to give more, Haruka made sure to give back just as much to maintain that perfect balance.

The only balance that was on Haruka's mind right at that moment was the balance of Makoto's thumbs pressing gently into his neck; the pads of his thumbs were big enough to cover the majority of Haruka's neck and Makoto took advantage of that and used it to massage the tension away from both sides at once. But no matter how great this felt to his neck, facing downwards into his pillow was becoming a bit suffocating and he wasn't sure for how much longer he could go on without a proper breath of air.

At the exact moment that thought shot through his head, Makoto's hands disappeared from his skin and he said, "You can turn your head now, Haru; I'll get back to your neck later."

A tired smile appeared on Haruka's face as he silently turned his head to the left, putting his cheek down on the pillow with his eyes still closed so he wouldn't be bothered by the change of brightness. Although he was able to breathe freely again, having his head and therefore neck turned at an angle wasn't exactly the most beneficial thing for both his already sore muscles and the massage that was supposed to relieved him from it. But they were going to have to make it work because they didn't exactly have another option available.

"We should seriously consider investing in a massage table," Makoto remarked with a small chuckle that proved that their minds were on the same page like they usually were. "That would make this a lot easier and more consistent, and a lot more comfortable for you too. It's a shame they're pretty expensive and far outside our budget."

"Yeah," Haruka mumbled, "Maybe one day."

Having a massage table would definitely be nice and it would be a good excuse to give each other even more massages, since they would have to utilise it to its fullest potential to get their money's worth, wouldn't they? Although it was a little too much to wish for right now, it was a relatively achievable goal for some point in the future, and the thought of the many massages he could give and receive in all the years yet to come coaxed a small hum of contentment out of him, only strengthened by the feeling of Makoto's large hands rubbing over the entire expanse of his back. It was a nice thing to look forward to, but for now, this was more than good enough for Haruka.

But Haruka most likely wasn't the only one who was in a somewhat uncomfortable position; Makoto was supporting himself on his knees on a rather soft surface that dipped with his weight, and still had to focus his attention on moving his hands without putting too much or too little power in it. "You can sit down if you want."

"Are you sure?" Makoto wondered, stilling his hands against Haruka's back. "You know I'm not exactly light."

"Yeah," Haruka repeated because even though Makoto definitely wasn't light and he remembered having complained about being crushed and suffocated underneath his weight in the past, he wasn't so sensitive that he couldn't handle anything at all. But he could sense that Makoto was hesitant about it so he insisted, "Really. Sit down."

With a sigh that signalled his defeat, Makoto carefully seated himself on top of Haruka's butt. "Alright," he gave in, "but tell me when it gets too heavy and I'll move."

Haruka only hummed again in response, oddly comforted and reassured by feeling of Makoto's weight on top of him. It didn't take another second before Makoto's hands were moving on his skin again, his fingers resting on his shoulders while his thumbs massaged the muscles beneath them. Soon his fingers ran over his spine again, stroking every last part of his back: from his shoulder blades to his venus dimples and everything in between. He made sure not to linger too long on one spot and properly divide his touch for an even feeling. Places that needed more attention were visited multiple times with a bit more pressure in his fingertips, but Makoto made sure that his massage was not only effective in relieving the tension and removing the knots, but also a pleasant experience for Haruka. And it surely was; soft moans did their very best to slip past Haruka's lips at Makoto's caresses and Haruka couldn't have contained them even if he wanted to.

For a second Makoto's hands were gone once more, but Haruka didn't have to question what he was doing because he heard the pop of the bottle cap being opened again as Makoto squeezed some more oil onto his fingertips. His hands didn't return on his back, but on his shoulders to spread the oil over his skin and his fingers even strayed down to his collarbones and over parts of his upper arms. Makoto paid special attention to the muscles around his shoulders, the ones that he used intensively every day and were at the most risk of being overworked. Instead of his hands mirroring each other on either side of Haruka's shoulders like he did on his back, Makoto now focused on one side at a time and he cupped Haruka's left shoulder with one hand while he dug the fingertips of his other hand in the skin covering his rotator cuff.

A dull ache appeared at Makoto's touch, but he didn't flinch nor did it worry him because he knew Makoto knew what he was doing. Having been on the swim team together, they used to give each other massages more often in the past as well. Because Makoto was always afraid of pressing on a muscle the wrong way and damaging his body in the process, he did a lot of research on sport massages and the muscles used for the various swimming styles, and therefore how he should go about massaging Haruka. In return, Haruka looked a little into it as well because he didn't want to damage Makoto's muscles either. Since Makoto wasn't swimming nearly as much nowadays as he used to, his aches and pains manifested in different places and for different reasons and massaging him was more to relieve the temporary hurt rather than it being maintenance of his muscles and joints.

Once Makoto deemed himself done with his left shoulder for then, he ran his hands over the planes of Haruka's back again to stimulate his blood flow a little and to make sure he wouldn't get cold. Then he repeated the process on Haruka's right shoulder.

Another sigh of pleasure slipped out of Haruka's mouth when Makoto's fingertips pressed on a certain spot that he hadn't known was bothering him so much. It was in moments like these that Haruka truly realised how lucky he was to have Makoto. Of course, he loved and treasured him for every second of his life, but loving Makoto came so natural to him that it happened subconsciously, which was also why it had taken him longer than it had most others to realise what his love for Makoto really meant, what it entailed and how far and deep it went. He knew it was the same for Makoto too because otherwise they would have gotten together much sooner than they actually had. But now that they were together and had been for a few years, Haruka understood his and Makoto's feelings better than anyone else. What Makoto and he had was special, a relationship filled with infinite love and support, with never-ending trust and devotion, and he wouldn't trade this happiness for anything in the world.

"I love you," Haruka murmured, his voice barely above a whisper because it was his heart directly speaking without having considered anything else. It was so full of affection right at that moment, like the rest of his organs had turned into a mush of adoration and tenderness, and Haruka's tired brain wasn't aware enough of what was going on to have stopped it. Not that Haruka would have wanted to stop it anyway, because it was the truth and nothing but the truth, and Makoto deserved to hear it out loud as many times as humanly possible.

Since Haruka's head was still facing sideways, he couldn't see the loving smile that softened Makoto's handsome features, but he knew it was there because he could hear it in Makoto's voice as he said, "I love you too." To further make his point and express the sentiment, he leaned forward and chastely kissed Haruka's nape - and getting a thin coat of oil on his lips in the process, but he didn't care about that in the slightest and simply wiped it off again with the back of his hand.

The sweet gesture made Haruka smile as well and he would have pushed himself up to kiss Makoto back if it weren't for how wonderful this massage was in combination with his tired and worn-out body. So Haruka decided to save the kiss up for later when his energy was restored and he had the one he loved the most in his arms.

"So, how was your day?" Makoto asked with genuine interest, his hands continuing to stroke and caress his body. Usually Makoto would have asked this question as soon as they met up and had a moment together, but he had postponed it now because he knew Haruka had been too exhausted to talk; now that Haruka had said something first, he saw the opportunity to have a real conversation.

"Tiring," Haruka simply replied. It wasn't that he wasn't in the mood to talk, he supposed it was more accurate to say that he wasn't in the mood to think and having to relay the events of the past day was a bit too much effort for Haruka's brain at that moment. "I'll tell you about it later," he promised, and because he  _was_  definitely in the mood to hear Makoto's beautiful voice telling him anecdotes of his day and responding to that in turn, he asked, "And yours?"

"Well," Makoto began, trying his best to sound serious but Haruka could hear the smile in his voice, "I almost missed the train this morning because of  _someone_."

"…Sorry."

"You're not sorry," Makoto stated without a grain of doubt.

That made Haruka snort lightly as he admitted, "I'm not."

As with welcome home kisses, Haruka was adamant about getting a kiss goodbye before either of them left. Not getting it could ruin his entire day, it had happened once in the past and he was not about to repeat that incident because he hadn't been able to think about anything all day other than the kiss he missed out on. Since then, he refused to leave without it and wouldn't allow Makoto to go either. This was what brought on the situation of this morning.

Although they usually left around the same time, Makoto had to leave a little earlier this morning because he still had to print a project for class. The computer lab was on the other side of campus and because he was afraid of not having enough time and being late, he decided to take an earlier train so he was sure he wouldn't have to rush. But while Makoto was getting ready to head out, Haruka had just gotten out of the shower and was in the process of towelling off his body. Makoto had called out that he was leaving, but Haruka wasn't about to let him go just yet and told him to come to the bathroom first.

It was obvious what Haruka wanted and Makoto came in and gave him a quick peck before he bid him another goodbye and turned around, but it wasn't enough for Haruka. He stopped Makoto in his tracks and held him back, drawing him in for a proper kiss that would linger on his lips even after they parted ways. But Haruka was in a particularly affectionate state that morning - perhaps he had sensed the heaviness of the day ahead of him and wanted to stock up on as much love as he could - and after that kiss he craved more so he brought Makoto in for another, and another, and soon Haruka didn't want to let him go at all. At one point Makoto broke apart and said that he really had to go, and Haruka insisted that just one more kiss would satisfy him. Ever-compliant with his wishes, Makoto kissed him once more and then he pulled away, checked his watch and when he saw that a good few minutes had passed already from when he originally intended to leave, he stumbled out while shouting some more goodbyes to Haruka.

"It's alright," Makoto assured, still chuckling lightly as he recalled this morning's events, because it wasn't something that Haruka had to apologise for at all - considering he would be lying if he said that the exchange of tender kisses hadn't left a smile on his face for the majority of the day - and he continued, "Like I messaged you, I made it just in time and was able to get everything printed out before class started."

"I'm glad," Haruka muttered sincerely, for even though he had enjoyed himself immensely this morning, he would have felt really bad if Makoto had actually missed the train and would have had to rush and stress himself out over making it in time. "And besides that, did anything interesting happen?"

"Nothing in particular," Makoto shrugged, but because he knew that Haruka just wanted to hear him talk, he began to tell him about his mundane and boring day all the same; the people he met and the conversations he had with them, the classes he followed and what remarkable things he had learned in them, the stray cat he had seen and the sales at the grocery store, he covered it all and Haruka listened attentively to every word that left his lips.

Although the anecdotes he told weren't exceptionally exciting, Makoto was so good at telling stories that he could make about anything sound really interesting. That in combination with how beautiful his voice was always made listening to Makoto speak very pleasant and it was even better than actual music to Haruka's ears. Besides that, even the things he didn't care about in the slightest were intriguing to Haruka if Makoto was the one telling him about it, because everything that was important or significant to Makoto in any way was automatically important and significant to Haruka too.

As he was lying there with Makoto's hands caressing his back and with Makoto's voice caressing his eardrums, Haruka thought that life simply didn't get any better than this. Of course, there were many goals and dreams he had for his future and life in general, but when it all came down to it, this was all that mattered; the warmth and loving touch of the one person who would stand by his side through it all no matter what challenges were ahead of him, who loved and supported him wholeheartedly and unconditionally. Someone who he couldn't just come home to, but who was the physical embodiment of home. Regardless of what the future held, Haruka knew that it was going to be perfect as long as it was a future shared with Makoto.

The thoughts that went through his head filled his chest with fondness and devotion and as Makoto pressed onto his upper back with his palm and rubbed soft circles over his muscles, Haruka knew for sure that he would sign up for nothing but moments like these in a heartbeat. His day up until finally coming home had been pretty bad and draining of his spirit, yet as he was lying here with the love of his life on top of him who was spoiling him with attention and care, he knew that he had reached the pinnacle of happiness. Then again, it wasn't that surprising because he had always been the happiest when he was with Makoto. Haruka had adored him from the very first moment his gaze met Makoto's gorgeous eyes all those years ago, had been committed to him ever since he decided to help Makoto get up when he had tripped in the sandbox and was met with that teary-eyed yet beautiful smile. In hindsight, it really was remarkable that Makoto and he hadn't realised their feelings for the majority of their lives so far since their love was an obvious and undeniable fact.

The affectionate mood of that morning had returned in full force and the urge to turn around and gather Makoto into his arms welled up intensely inside of Haruka. He would have acted on that feeling if it weren't for the wonderful way that Makoto was massaging the muscles right beside his shoulder blades. It just felt so indescribably good that Haruka had to do everything he could to repress his sighs and hums. He knew that once his energy was recharged, he had to try his hardest to spoil Makoto too because Makoto was completely overthrowing that perfect balance of give-and-take with just this mind-blowingly amazing massage. Fortunately, he knew just the things that Makoto liked and silently fantasizing about all the ways he could return the favour for Makoto - and maybe indulge himself a little more as well while he was at it - only made the situation even more enjoyable in every aspect.

Upon Makoto's request Haruka turned his head to the right and he could instantly feel the pull of his muscles from having been in the same awkward position for too long. The thought hadn't even fully crossed his mind yet before Makoto's gentle fingertips were at the scene to immediately soothe the ache before it could really start to bother him. Haruka was so grateful to have found his soulmate who could practically read his mind; Makoto was truly everything he ever could have wished for and more.

Eventually, after having given a complete rundown of the subject matters of his homework and the things he hoped to do in the weekend like calling his family and watching a certain tv show, Makoto ran out of things to say. That wasn't a problem though, because Makoto knew that it didn't matter what he said as long as he kept providing background noise, so he started to hum some song he had heard in the store earlier that was still stuck in his head. As the melody bled into the lyrics, Makoto began to sing the words under his breath so softly that he probably didn't even notice that he was doing it. Like he always naturally ended up singing along to the tune playing in his head even without his awareness. The parts of the lyrics that he didn't know were filled in with more humming, and the adorable sound of it all made a fond smile stretch Haruka's lips. With even the tiniest of things he unconsciously did, Makoto made Haruka fall even deeper in love with him despite Haruka having thought that he had long since reached the limit of how much a single person could love someone. And Makoto didn't even do it on purpose.

Haruka didn't know how much time had passed since Makoto had begun to massage him because the concept of time simply ceased to exist when he was with Makoto. He was floating on a cloud of warmth and fuzziness, feeling nothing but love and pure bliss washing over him in the form of the most amazing person in the world taking care of him and relieving his burden. It should have been illegal for something as simple as a massage to feel  _this_  good, but it was the combination of both the feeling itself and the fact that it was Makoto rubbing his back with love and in the hopes of soothing his ache that made it so astonishingly pleasant.

If this moment were to drag on for all eternity, then it would be an eternity nothing short of absolutely wonderful to Haruka. Unfortunately, all good things had to come to an end at some point and this delightful massage was no exception. At last Makoto ran his hands over his back one final time for then to signal the end of this massage that had lasted for simultaneously three seconds and three hours.

"There, how does that feel?" Makoto wondered as his eyes went from Haruka's reddened back to his face.

"Better," Haruka admitted, because even if he would have liked to say that he was still sore and that he wanted Makoto to continue, he knew that it wasn't good to overdo this either. "Much better."

"I'm glad," Makoto replied and he lifted himself off of Haruka's body so he would be relieved of the pressure his weight had steadily been providing. With slight dread Haruka pushed himself up and he sat upright on the towel instead, an appreciative smile stretching his lips. He was gathering his strength to express his gratitude to Makoto, but Makoto was faster than him and asked, "Any other places you're sore that need to be massaged? Legs, feet…?"

"No, it's fine." The idea of having Makoto massage more of his body was obviously very appealing, but Makoto had already spent more than enough time massaging his neck, shoulders and back and it was in those places that he was the most sore. Besides that, it was difficult to kiss him when he was rubbing his legs or feet. "Thank you," Haruka said in response to both the proposal and the massage that preceded it. He leaned forward to capture Makoto's lips in a chaste kiss to show his thankfulness and just his adoration in general.

A tender smile lit up Makoto's face when Haruka pulled away, his gorgeous eyes shining with devotion and fondness. "You're welcome, Haru-chan," he murmured softly, and he reached up to caress Haruka's cheek before he halted when he realised that there was still a thin sheen of oil on his hands. Snorting lightly, Makoto retracted his hand as he stated, "I better go wash my hands."

Considering all that Makoto had done for him, Haruka decided to let the use of that childhood nickname slide without scolding just this once. Because he knew that Makoto was going to throw it in the laundry, Haruka got off the towel and handed it to him, earning a small mumble of gratitude in response. Makoto wiped his hands on the towel before he gestured for Haruka to turn around so he could clean off any excess oil that may have lingered on his skin.

"I'll be right back," he promised with his signature smile still on his face as he crumpled up the towel and he walked out of the room.

Haruka watched him go, his stomach tingling with warmth and the butterflies that had never left him at the sight of Makoto's wonderful backside. Although he was wearing very loose, comfortable clothes, that didn't mean he looked any less attractive than he did otherwise - Makoto honestly looked amazing in everything and that was mainly because what was hidden beneath the layers of fabric was indescribably beautiful and alluring. He was so lucky that his soulmate was not only the kindest and sweetest person on the planet, but also by far the hottest one. There was nothing that Haruka wanted more at that moment than to hold that irresistible body tightly against his own and bury his face inside that broad chest of his.

Completely lost in his fatigue-ridden thoughts about how perfect Makoto was in every sense of the word, Haruka hadn't noticed he was spacing out until the subject of his infatuation re-entered the room and spoke up. "Haru, why haven't you put on the shirt? Aren't you cold?" Makoto questioned as the meddling mother hen welled up inside of him and he grabbed the shirt to put it on Haruka himself.

It wasn't until then that Haruka realised that he was sitting on the bed half-naked in the middle of winter with a somewhat damp back. Despite the warm air that hung in their small apartment thanks to the heater, it still wasn't very wise of him to sit there just like that. He had just forgotten all about the shirt and the state of his body because his mind had been way too preoccupied with another body.

In the meanwhile Makoto had tugged the shirt over Haruka's head and was in the process of pulling his arms through the sleeves and Haruka didn't resist and allowed him to do as he pleased. He was perfectly capable of putting the shirt on himself when he had realised it, yet he couldn't deny that it was nice to be so doted over by Makoto and since he was tired either way, he let himself indulge in all of Makoto's care. The knowing smile and slight shake of his head told him that Makoto understood that sentiment better than anyone else, because he loved it just as much when their roles were reversed.

"Thanks," Haruka muttered once he was fully in the shirt, in gratitude to both Makoto's help and the shirt in particular he had picked; instead of just giving him some of his own, Makoto had picked one of his shirts because he knew that Haruka loved to wear his clothes, especially when he wasn't feeling well, mentally or physically. This shirt was nothing special per se, but it was comfortably oversized with the end of the sleeves falling slightly over his wrists, the bottom of it reaching his thighs, and to top it all off, it smelled like Makoto too. And being surrounded by his calming yet enticing scent was always a bonus regardless of how he was feeling.

Makoto's smile only softened in acknowledgement before he offered, "So, what do you say we go take a nap together?"

Haruka's eyes widened in surprise at the umpteenth wonderful suggestion falling from Makoto's lips that day. All of them had been based off of Haruka's desires at that moment and this one was no exception since there was nothing he wanted more than to snuggle up with him under the duvet. Yet he couldn't help the hesitance that resurfaced when he recalled that Makoto had been studying when he arrived home and he already wasted more than enough of his time just now. No matter how badly he wanted this, it would be selfish of him to rob Makoto of even more precious time just because he wanted to cuddle and sleep.

"Are you sure you have time?" Haruka asked because he couldn't really make up his mind, not when his heart was yelling at him to accept while his brain was telling him to refuse so Makoto could do what he had to. Therefore he settled on this as a compromise since it would be Makoto's own decision this way.

His voice was undeniably tinged with slivers of longing and Makoto caught it like he always did. "I already told you, I always have time for you, Haru," Makoto uttered, his voice dripping with meaning and sentiment and the smile that adorned his face never wavered, and neither did the complete and unadulterated devotion in his eyes. "Besides, I could definitely use a nap right now too," he added as he stretched his arms over his head, his back cracking slightly as his joints were tugged at and he sighed softly at the satisfying pop.

Well, if he put it like that then who was Haruka to object? He pulled off his socks and threw them besides the bed before he moved his pillow back to its rightful spot and crawled beneath the duvet. The sheets beneath him were still fairly cold and it made a shiver run down his spine, but he knew that that problem would soon be solved by the heat of their intertwined bodies. Now all he needed was for Makoto to join him and everything would be perfect.

"Big spoon or little spoon?" Makoto asked while he took his glasses off and put them down on his nightstand, wanting to know what Haruka was in the mood for so he could match up with that.

That considerate question made Haruka smile; Makoto always kept Haruka's preference in mind before he regarded his own. He was seriously the textbook-definition of kindhearted. "Neither, just come here," Haruka said softly as he opened his arms in invitation. Of course, Makoto would never pass up on this invitation either.

He drew back the covers and sat down to remove his socks as well and then he lied down, not wasting a second before scooting over to Haruka and he wrapped his arms around him. Their feet immediately sought one another and their legs naturally entwined as they found a comfortable position for cuddling. Equipped with everything his heart desired - warmth, soft sheets, the love of his life in his arms - Haruka allowed a sigh of contentment to slip past his lips and he closed his eyes.

He easily could have fallen asleep instantly, but was kept awake by the affection he had bottled up during the massage. Now that he had the opportunity to finally let his emotions flow freely he could no longer resist the temptation and he leaned forward slightly to lazily kiss Makoto. Even with his eyes closed he could find Makoto's mouth without any trouble and Makoto kissed him back tenderly in a slow and sweet exchange of love.

After sharing a couple of short yet nevertheless passionate kisses, Makoto drew back a little so he could look into Haruka's eyes and his hand came up to caress his cheek like he had been wanting to do since earlier. The loving brush of his warm fingers made the corners of Haruka's lips curl upwards in a small smile and his eyes fluttered open to meet the gaze that was undoubtedly full of adoration and focused on him. Simply staring into Makoto's gorgeous eyes that twinkled brightly like emeralds made his stomach tingle and his heart overflow with feelings he could never fully express even if he dedicated his entire life to it, for there was no end to how deeply they ran. Loving Makoto went down to the very core of his being, it had been scripted in his fate and written in his genes and that made it an unavoidable phenomenon; his feelings for his best friend had always meant to develop because loving him was just a part of Haruka, ingrained in every cell and engraved in every fiber. And the fact that it was the exact same for Makoto only proved that the stars had dictated this inevitable course and outcome even before their births.

Still, just because he could never show his soulmate the true extent of his infinite amount of affection and commitment, that didn't mean that Haruka ever stopped trying; he leaned forward and gently nuzzled Makoto's nose with his own. A soft smile appeared on Makoto's face and he closed his eyes as he nuzzled back, the loving touch making buds of affection spontaneously form and blossom into beautiful flowers in the garden of their shared soul.

The hand that was nestled against Makoto's back trailed down and found its way under his shirt to rest directly against his radiating torso, for Haruka craved the connecting touch of bare skin upon his own. The yearning for another kiss bubbled up in him again like it always would at one point or another and he pressed his lips against Makoto's once more, immediately feeling the familiar pressure of Makoto returning the gesture as if it were second nature to him, like it was as natural as breathing to him, because it honestly was.

When Makoto ended the kiss, the expression of pure fondness lingered on his features while his hand travelled upwards to comb his fingers through Haruka's black locks. "Hey, Haru?" he whispered as his fingertips ran over his scalp.

"What?" Haruka mumbled, curious to see if there were going to be even more wonderful suggestions coming from Makoto today and he lightly drew his blunt nails back and forth over Makoto's back to encourage him further.

"How about…" he started softly, eyelids falling half-shut with what Haruka guessed to be drowsiness, "we go to sleep now, and when we wake up we order some takeout from that one place you like so much?"

Like Haruka had expected, it  _was_  a great suggestion. "The one that has the good salt-grilled mackerel?" he asked just to be sure they were on the same page, the name of the joint slipping out of his general knowledge for the moment and he was too exhausted to ponder about it.

"Yeah."

"Yeah," he echoed, a smile appearing on his lips at the mere thought of it. Although Haruka usually wasn't a fan of having takeout for dinner simply because he preferred his own cooking so he could stick to his diet and make sure that Makoto was eating healthy too, on the rare days like today when he was far too tired or just didn't feel like making dinner after a long day, he liked to have food from that little seafood restaurant. It was the only place in the entire area that could prepare mackerel that could somewhat matched up to his homemade mackerel, and their meals weren't as unhealthy as some of the competing takeout joints - the really unhealthy ones were nice for special occasions, but for every once in a while, this restaurant was definitely the better option. The fact that Makoto really liked their squid dishes only made it even nicer.

Haruka's agreement made Makoto's smile even larger before he continued, "And then, after dinner, we'll take a nice hot bath together, and afterwards I'll rub some of that ointment for muscle and joint aches on your sore spots. And then we'll just watch tv or a movie for the rest of the night. How does that sound?"

"Sounds amazing," Haruka agreed, the mental image of spending the evening like this making a wave of excitement wash down on him. After such a stressful and draining day, the prospect of spending a calm and intimate evening with the only person who could recharge him was incredibly relieving and definitely something he looked forward to already. Taking baths together with Makoto was one of his favourite activities because it was the perfect mix of many of the things he loved at once; water, Makoto, cuddling, and so much more so that was always something he treasured, especially at times like these and Makoto took advantage of that knowledge to spoil him even further. Perhaps that after their nap he would be rested enough and their plans would change slightly - specifically the part  _after_  their bath - and he would be more than open to that. But for now, he was more than content about spending his night watching some tv as long as he was snuggled up with Makoto; as long as he was by Makoto's side, Haruka was happy. "What did I do to deserve you?"

The sentimental question was obviously induced by his sleepiness, but it still surprised Makoto a little and he chuckled lightly before he leaned his forehead against Haruka's. "By just being you," Makoto murmured sincerely, because he honestly thought he was nothing special and that  _he_  was unbelievably lucky and blessed that he had Haruka. But since it was more of a rhetorical question than an insecure statement, Makoto decided to just reply with the full truth without undermining himself. "I love you," he added, because his own drowsiness might have made him a little sentimental as well and he didn't see why he shouldn't say it when it was burning so brightly inside of him.

"I love you too," Haruka immediately replied and he pressed his mouth against Makoto's in another chaste kiss. Makoto captured his lips and despite his tiredness, he deepened the kiss to really feel and taste him again like he was yearning to as he continued to brush his fingers through Haruka's silky hair. They kissed and caressed each other to their hearts' content, until Haruka ended their sweet exchange because he was getting far too sleepy to keep up any longer. With a final peck placed upon Makoto's lips, Haruka pulled himself downwards in Makoto's embrace so he could bury his head in Makoto's shoulder like he had been wanting to do for a while now. "Sleep well."

"Sweet dreams, Haru," Makoto mumbled and he leaned down to kiss Haruka's forehead before Haruka completely pushed his face into his warm body. The hand that had been running through Haruka's locks came down to pull the duvet up a bit and then it found its place on his back, where it provided a welcome and securing weight.

In the arms of his whole world, surrounded by Makoto's comforting and delightful scent in combination with the subdued floral fragrance that his massaged skin emitted, it didn't take long for Haruka to doze off, already dreaming of all the wondrous ways to unwind that awaited him when he woke up.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed it and if you did, I'd love to hear it.
> 
> No one can convince me that Makoto doesn't give the best massages in the world and I need one. One other thing that I just wanted to mention about this fic is that it's just set in the canon universe, not a soulmate one, but Haru regards Makoto as his soulmate no matter what universe they're in, hence the descriptions.
> 
> Now I don't mean to be that author that automatically assumes that everyone who reads this fic reads my other fics too, but just in case you do I just wanted to say that I'm working on them and trying my best to update them as soon as I can.
> 
> If you'd like, you can follow me on [Tumblr](https://datheetjoella.tumblr.com/) and [Twitter](https://twitter.com/DatHeetJoella) @DatHeetJoella if you want to hear more about my writing or just my MakoHaru thoughts in general.
> 
> Thanks again for reading, I wish you a wonderful day and hopefully until next time!


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